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Dice-K slips up as Boston lose

The Texas Rangers' Sammy Sosa points to the sky after hitting a three-run home run against the Chicago White Sox during the eighth inning of their game in Chicago on Tuesday. PHOTO: AP

Daisuke Matsuzaka's lack of control in a key situation cost him against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Dice-K struck out 10 over six innings but forced in the go-ahead run with a bases-loaded walk to Gregg Zaun in the fourth, and Toronto beat the Boston Red Sox 2-1 on Tuesday night despite getting just three hits.

Matsuzaka (1-2) retired his first eight batters and Wily Mo Pena's third-inning homer gave him a lead, but Lyle Overbay's single tied the score in the two-run fourth.

Jason Frasor, taking over as closer while B.J. Ryan is sidelined by a sprained elbow, got four outs for his first save since Sept. 20, 2005, against Seattle.

Matsuzaka allowed three hits and three walks in six innings. He struck out 10 for the second time in three starts -- the last pitcher to reach double-digit strikeouts twice in his first three major league starts was the Los Angeles Dodgers' Fernando Valenzuela in 1981.

Gustavo Chacin (2-0) allowed one run and six hits in 6 2-3 innings, and Casey Janssen got three outs before Frasor came in.

Devil Rays 6, Orioles 4

St. Petersburg, Florida, Rocco Baldelli had a two-run single during a six-run fourth inning and Tampa Bay stopped Baltimore's four-game winning streak.

Steve Trachsel (0-1) remained winless in three starts with the Orioles, allowing six runs and six hits in 3 2-3 innings as his ERA rose from 2.63 to 5.19.

Tampa Bay starter Casey Fossum (1-1), gave up three runs and five hits in seven-plus innings.

Tigers 7, Royals 6

At Detroit, Placido Polanco hit the tiebreaking single with two outs in the eighth inning and Detroit extended Kansas City's losing streak to six.

Polanco also hit a solo home run and tripled, Magglio Ordonez had three hits and three RBIs and Marcus Thames homered.

David DeJesus had four hits with a homer and scored three runs for Kansas City.

With the score 6-6, Omar Infante singled to lead off the eighth and was sacrificed to second by Neifi Perez. One out later, Polanco singled off David Riske (0-2).

Yankees 10, Indians 3

At New York, Alex Rodriguez helped make Chase Wright an easy winner in his big league debut.

Rodriguez hit his major league-leading eighth home run, and Jorge Posada and Doug Mientkiewicz also connected in the second inning off an ineffective Jake Westbrook.

Posada, who hit his 200th career homer, and Rodriguez each had three RBIs.

Called up from Double-A Trenton to fill a spot in New York's injury-depleted rotation, Wright (1-0) showed impressive poise following a shaky start. He allowed three runs and five hits in five innings.

Rangers 8, White Sox 1

At Chicago, Sammy Sosa tuned out the boos and showed Chicago what it's been missing the last few years.

Sosa sparked Texas' rout with a three-run homer in his return to the Windy City, the 591st home run of his career.

Brad Wilkerson and Ian Kinsler also homered for the Rangers to back Robinson Tejeda (2-1). Kinsler's homer was his seventh.

Sosa, who was booed in each at-bat, finished 2-for-4.

Athletics 4, Angels 1

At Oakland, California, Bobby Crosby broke a scoreless tie with a three-run homer in the fourth for Oakland, spoiling the season debut of Jered Weaver.

The drive to left-center in the decisive fourth inning helped Chad Gaudin (1-0) pick up his first victory of the year. Gaudin allowed four hits in 7 2-3 innings, allowing an RBI double to Maicer Izturis in the eighth for the Angels' lone run.

Crosby, who came into the game batting .167, also singled and stole a base in the second.

Twins 11, Mariners 2

At Seattle, Torii Hunter broke open the game with a fifth-inning grand slam, then left after bruising a shoulder while trying to catch a line drive in Minnesota's rout of Seattle.

Hunter injured his left shoulder while tumbling trying to make a catch of a sinking line drive by Jose Vidro in the sixth inning. The Twins said he is day to day.

Jeff Weaver (0-2) allowed seven runs and 10 hits -- seven for extra bases -- in six innings. Still, his ERA dropped from 31.50 to 15.75.

AP, CHICAGO

Geoff Blum doubled in the go-ahead run in the 14th inning and the San Diego Padres defeated the Chicago Cubs 4-3 on Tuesday.

Khalil Greene led off the 14th with a double to the right-field corner against Will Ohman (0-1), and with one out, Blum sent a shot to left that Jacque Jones let skip by him.

Ohman then retired Rob Bowen on a fly to center and pinch-hitter Jake Peavy on a pop to second. But it was the third straight rough outing for the left-hander.

Pirates 6, Cardinals 1

At St. Louis, Tom Gorzelanny (2-0) and Matt Capps combined on a four-hitter and Adam LaRoche hit a three-run homer, leading Pittsburgh to a two-game sweep if St. Louis.

The Cardinals' 6-7 start is the worst by a World Series winner since the 1998 Florida Marlins were 1-11.

Braves 6, Nationals 4

At Washington, John Smoltz moved within one strikeout of Cy Young and within five wins of 200 in Atlanta's victory.

Smoltz (2-1) didn't allow an earned run until the seventh inning, Chipper Jones homered and Kelly Johnson had a career-high four hits.

The Braves made three errors, two by shortstop Edgar Renteria, and squandered most of a four-run lead but held on against the Nationals, who wore Virginia Tech baseball caps as a tribute to the victims of Monday's shooting rampage at the school.

In other NL games it was:
* Reds 11, Brewers 5
* Mets 8, Phillies 1
* Astros 6, Marlins 1
* Rockies 5, Giants 3
* Dodgers 6, Diamondbacks 4

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